On a job with more than one trade, South Florida building departments usually split the permit in two levels. The master permit (sometimes called the building permit or master building permit) covers the project as a whole and is held by the general contractor or the owner-builder. Each trade then gets its own sub-permit (also called a subsidiary or trade permit) under the master: electrical, mechanical, plumbing, roofing. The electrical sub-permit is pulled by the electrical contractor, carries the EC's license, and is inspected and closed on its own.
That structure is simple. What trips projects up is timing: when the sub-permit can be requested, which number inspections are booked under, and what has to happen before the master can close. Those differ by jurisdiction. This guide goes through the main South Florida departments, then covers how the GC and EC should coordinate. The building department with jurisdiction over the address always has the final word. For the full regional picture, see our South Florida electrical permits guide.
Why the split exists
- Licensing. Outside the owner-builder exemption, electrical contracting is done under an electrical contractor's license. Florida's electrical licenses are issued by DBPR: certified licenses such as EC are statewide, while registered licenses such as ER are valid only locally (DBPR license codes). The sub-permit ties the electrical work to that license.
- Responsibility. Each trade answers for its own work and its own inspections.
- Tracking. The department can see at a glance which trade is holding up a final.
Jurisdiction by jurisdiction
| Jurisdiction | How electrical attaches to the master | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Unincorporated Miami-Dade | Electrical can be a subsidiary permit; the master permit number goes at the top of the application. Subsidiary permits are obtained and inspected separately. Temporary power needs a master permit. | Miami-Dade electrical permits |
| City of Miami | A sub-permit can only be requested after the master is approved; the contractor is added by trade and qualifier number. | City of Miami, get a sub-permit |
| Miami Beach | Two or more trades require a Master Building permit; the electrical sub-permit follows. | Miami Beach building permits |
| Coral Gables | Reviewers add required sub-permits to the master; sub-permits may be applied for after the master is issued. | Coral Gables FAQ |
| Unincorporated Broward | Master plus sub-permits. "Permit Final" means a sub-permit is closed; "Completed" means the master is closed. | Broward permit guide |
| Palm Beach County | Trade work is a sub-permit, requested in ePZB as a "New Sub Permit Request". | ePZB FAQ |
| Boca Raton | Electrical inspections are booked from the sub-trade record under the master in Boca eHub. | Boca, how to schedule inspections |
Miami-Dade: one inspection keeps the whole job alive
The county says an issued permit gives 180 days to do the work and call inspections, and that an approved inspection on the master or on any sub-permit extends the permit another 180 days from the approval date (Miami-Dade permit steps). A passed electrical inspection therefore helps the whole job's clock. Single-family permits now fall under the longer statewide period in section 553.79(1)(c). To see what sits under a master, use the Master Subsidiary Permit Cross-Reference on the county's e-Permitting menu; our permit search walkthrough explains it.
City of Miami: electrical waits for the master
Because the City will not accept the sub-permit until the master is approved, the electrical permit cannot run in parallel with building review. Every round of master comments pushes electrical back. Inspections are then booked with the trade sub-permit number. More in our City of Miami electrical permits guide.
Miami Beach: the master comes first on any multi-trade job
Once two trades are involved, there is no stand-alone electrical path. See our Miami Beach electrical permits guide, including how each permit's job value counts toward the city's cumulative 50% rule.
Broward and Fort Lauderdale
Unincorporated Broward's statuses make the two levels visible: the sub closes as "Permit Final" and the master as "Completed". Fort Lauderdale runs its own system, LauderBuild; see our Fort Lauderdale electrical permits guide.
Palm Beach County and Boca Raton
In unincorporated Palm Beach County the EC requests the sub-permit in ePZB and books inspections online or by IVR at (561) 355-2222 with a 7-digit contractor PIN (PBC inspection codes). The county's FAQ says a renewal self-issues if the permit has fewer than three renewals, has been inactive less than six months and has no contractor change (ePZB FAQ). In Boca Raton, electrical inspections are booked from the sub-trade record, not from the master.
What the EC needs from the GC
- The master permit number and confirmation of its status (approved or issued, depending on the jurisdiction).
- The approved drawings, including the electrical sheets and any revisions made during review.
- Owner and property details exactly as they appear on the master.
- The Notice of Commencement. Florida requires it to be recorded and posted before the first inspection where the law calls for one (F.S. 713.13).
- The schedule, especially slab and underground dates, since those electrical inspections come before the pour.
- Utility information: service size and location and any FPL work order. FPL will not energize a new service until the local inspection is done and it has notice from the inspecting office (FPL Electric Service Standards, 2023 edition; check the current edition).
What the GC should get from the EC
- The EC's license number and qualifier, which you can verify on DBPR's license search.
- The electrical sub-permit number as soon as it is issued.
- Advance notice of each electrical inspection and its result.
- Confirmation when the electrical sub-permit is finaled, so the master can close.
Our post on what GCs should require from an electrical subcontractor goes further on paperwork and scope.
Where master and sub coordination breaks down
- The EC tries to pull the sub-permit before the master is approved or issued.
- Inspections are requested on the master number instead of the electrical sub-permit.
- The EC changes mid-job and the sub-permit is not transferred through the department's change-of-contractor process.
- Electrical is finaled but nobody tells the GC, or the GC calls for a building final while the electrical sub-permit is still open.
- The drawings change during construction and the electrical sub-permit is not revised to match.
Questions builders ask
Who holds the master permit?
The general contractor, or the owner acting as owner-builder under Florida's rules (F.S. 489.103). The electrical contractor holds the electrical sub-permit.
Can the electrical contractor pull a stand-alone permit instead?
For electrical-only work, often yes; Miami-Dade, for one, lets contractors apply for stand-alone trade permits. On a multi-trade job, departments such as Miami Beach require the master.
Does a passed electrical inspection extend the master?
In unincorporated Miami-Dade, yes: the county says an approved inspection on any sub-permit extends the permit 180 days from the approval date. Other departments set their own rules, so ask.
Can the master close if the electrical sub-permit is open?
Plan on no. Coral Gables, for example, will not issue a certificate of occupancy or completion while sub-permits are pending under the master.
Lining up the electrical sub-permit?
KRW Electric (EC13012832, certified statewide) handles the electrical sub-permit and inspections on its jobs, from rough-in through finish electrical. See how we work with general contractors, then send us the master permit number and drawings or call (305) 359-7312.
Reviewed by Kyle White, KRW Electric Company LLC — licensed electrical contractor EC13012832.
